Tailings dam flood overtopping failure evolution pattern

Abstract

To analyze the tailings dam failure evolution pattern, a tailings dam overtopping evolution model was studied based on the physical model experiment method. Based on a non-constant unsaturated flow and sediment erosion mechanism of non-equilibrium theory, the model similarity theory and dam breach erosion model, using the tailings which was from tailings dam as the research object, the tailings dam overtopping breach evolution pattern was investigated on an outside independently developed tailings dam break simulation platform. The results show that the dam displacements are depended on the dam saturation degree during tailings dam flood overtopping failure. The higher saturation lines are, the larger sliding displacements are. The dam failure extent is related with the overflow breach erosion. In this experimental condition, the dam displacements, saturation line height, the maximum flow and the dam break evolutions were presented. Decreasing the saturation line height, increasing the dry beach length, setting up dam surface drainage channels and other measures can help reduce the tailings dam flood overtopping failure disaster damage. © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.